He also asked De Lima, who has asthma, if she was having difficulty breathing due to the newly painted walls of her cell.

"Kayang-kaya naman daw niya, walang problema," Dele Rosa said of De Lima's reply. (She said she was fine, there was no problem.)

The PNP chief also guaranteed that the senator will not receive any special treatment, and will be treated just like the other high-profile detainees at the PNP Custodial Center, including former senators Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada.

"Kung anong treatment sa mga kapwa niya senador, ganoon din ang treatment sa kanya," he said, adding that De Lima is not entitled to even simple comforts like air conditioning and cold water.

De Lima, who was arrested on drug charges, believes she is politically persecuted by the current administration for her staunch opposition to President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs.

Her camp said Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 204 Judge Juanita Guererro committed grave abuse of discretion when she ordered her arrest despite her pending motion to dismiss the case over the RTC's lack of jurisdiction.